Newlywed Project Launch: Subharambha

With highly early marriage rates and low modern method use among youth, many couples begin their marriages ill-equipped to plan their families. Launched by Sunaulo Parivar Nepal, implementation partner of Marie Stopes, Newlywed App and Website has e

With highly early marriage rates and low modern method use among youth, many couples begin their marriages ill-equipped to plan their families. Launched by Sunaulo Parivar Nepal, implementation partner of Marie Stopes, Newlywed App and Website has every need of the newly wed couples.

As unmet need among the adolescent and young is particularly high for spacing with 37.5 and 23.5 percent respectively, there are a lot of challenges in reproductive health.

According to a report, unmet need for family planning stood at 25.2 in 2014. When the couples are planning their wedding, they require family planning information services. Here Newlywed App and Website fulfill their needs.

Addressing the inauguration program, country director of Marie Stopes Nepal Sophie Hodder highlighted the importance of the Newlywed App and website for newly wed couples in Nepal.

“This web will help to reduce the unintended pregnancy of young couples,” said Hodder. She said Marie Stopes will continue to support Nepal achieving the target of unmet needs of young and reproductive health.

Sunaulo Parivar Nepal, implementation partner of Marie Stopes has been working in Nepal since last many years in the areas of safe abortion, reproductive health and family planning sector.

“Following the success of newlywed project phase I, we are re-introducing the newlywed project phase II to target urban couples by introducing the website and app which will provide information necessary to plan a wedding and a family,” said Satyajit Pradhan – Director - Marketing and Communications.

Focus group discussions conducted by Maries Stopes Nepal revealed that family planning is not a priority for young couples and the information they receive come from their friends/ family which may not be comprehensive and accurate.

Despite making a major progress in Maternal Mortality Rate and increasing the access to family planning, the numbers of couple of unmet need is still much higher.

“At a time when the unmet needs of family planning continue to be a major hurdle to further reduce MRR, Newlywed App and web sites will fulfill the information gaps. Since last many years, Sunaulo Parivar Nepal implementing partner of Marie Stopes International Nepal has been supporting Nepal government in the areas of safe abortion, reproductive health and unmet need. This new innovation will be another milestone,” said Ghanshyam Pokharel, Chief of Youth and Family Planning Division Ministry of Health and Population.

According to a press release issued by Sunaulo Parivar Nepal implementing partner of Marie Stopes International Nepal, a comprehensive targeted communication package and increase in FP uptake will reduce untimed and unwanted pregnancy among newlyweds.

“This led to the inception of Newlywed-Subharambha Project concept that aimed to reach out to young couples who are planning their conjugal lives but may not have necessarily though of planning their family,” said Satyajit Pradhan – Director - Marketing and Communications. “Newlywed Phase II mainly targets the urban newly elected population as they are fairly responsive to the use of technology. The website/app attempts to instill the culture of planning a wedding as well as a family. The mobile app allows users to set appointments with the vendors for which the user will receive alerts about the appointment.”

According to the press release, it also encompasses a checklist for wedding planning and blogs containing articles on love, sex, relations and marriage. Newlywed Phase II mainly targets the urban newlywed population as they are fairly responsive to the use of technology. “We have introduced a website (www.newlywed.org.np) which is accompanied by a mobile phone application that strives to address the gap resulting from lack of spousal communication, comprehensive information and lack of planning culture in Nepal by introducing sexual reproductive health and family planning information as an integral part of the overall wedding planning,” said a press release.